How White Boy Rick Uncovered The Largest Corruption Case In Detroit History And Got Life In Jail, Mark Oliver is a writer, teacher, and father whose work has appeared on The Onion's StarWipe, Yahoo, and Cracked, and can be found on his, The Death Of Grigori Rasputin, History's Most Unkillable Man, Croatian Village Plagued By 100 Gigantic Sinkholes Following Massive Earthquake, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Instead, he remained incarcerated in Michigan for 29 years. Richard Wershe Jr. mugshot for Florida Department of Corrections, Detroit historian: White Boy Rick Wershe prison release way overdue. We have no more Information about his Father; we will try to collect information and update soon. According to retired FBI agent John Anthony, White Boy Rick was the most productive informant for the agency at the time. Author Free Richard Wershe Jr Rick has 3 children. Richard Wershe Sr. tried to get the FBI to help his son but they refused to say a word. The 1980s witnessed Americas war on drugs combating a new enemy, crack cocaine. Wershe, now 52, spent three. -Crime Watch Daily, On June 8, 2017, Richard Wershe Jr., 47, was granted his first parole hearing in more than 14 years. He now has a recreational marijuana business called The 8th. Finally, in July 2020, he was released from care in Florida after completing his sentence with proper conduct credits. He was forced to find a way to navigate the streets and make ends meet without the FBIs protection, which wasnt easy. Richard Wershe Jr. was arrested in his home in 1988 with 17 pounds of cocaine. "Everything went as planned. And his father had sold some of them guns. "I think helping the FBI with Operation Backbone was the biggest mistake of my life," says Wershe, "because it created enemies I couldn't even imagine." He went above and beyond what the FBI asked him to do. The author and historian has kept in touch with Wershe over the years and has studied his case extensively. The biggest confiscation occurred on East Side, where the Curry brothers were in charge. While Michigan repealed the 650-Lifer Law that handed Richard Wershe Jr. a life sentence, he was still in prison long after other offenders were released. I became addicted to that life." Find out about Keisha Wershe and White Boy Rick Weve definitely figured out that Keisha Wershe is Richard Wershe Jr.s girl. British actress Bel Powley portrays Dawn in the film, which hit theaters nationwide on Sept. 14. And were surprised by that?. Courtroom sketches from Rick's trial in 1988. He's not proposing to be a saint. White Boy, a documentary chronicling the case of Richard Wershe Jr., premiered on March 31, 2017, at the Freep Film Festival where it won the Audience Choice Award. Yes. Click On Detroit/WDIV/YouTubeRick Wershe Jr. in prison. As a result of the FBI sting operation and Wershe's involvement, 18 corrupt police officers and politicians went to prison. Now hes a 51-year-old man free from prison and back in Michigan. Almost all of those who were convicted under the original law have been released. There is no information about Keishas relationship history. Johnny Curry was history. Therefore, it was a crime convicted while he was still behind the bars. Nate Boone Craft, the convicted hitman who claims he was hired to kill Rick Wershe Jr. Richard Wersher Jr. during his parole hearing. It turned into a stolen car ring, and Wershe pleaded guilty to protect his sister and mother from criminal charges. A carjacker with a gun in his hand jumped into Wershe's car. (He's) happy, healthy and excited (and) emotional. By the time he turned 15, he was skipping school by the day and spending the nights at the clubs, gathering Information for the FBI. And I thought it was the right thing keep some drug dealers off the street and get paid for it.. It was embarrassing but getting shot gave Wershe street cred. F.B.I. 7 facts about the 14-year-old FBI informant", "White Boy Rick's Parole Hearing and Drug War Lessons Unlearned", "Here's Where White Boy Rick Is Now, Years After His FBI Involvement", Rick Wershe Jr. released from prison after more than 30 years, "Former informant 'White Boy Rick' sues FBI for $100m", "See Matthew McConaughey fail tragically as a dad in exclusive 'White Boy Rick' trailer", "Eminem Set to Play White Boy Rick in Starz's 'Black Mafia Family', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Wershe_Jr.&oldid=1139467193. They gave chase and Wershe got off two shots using the cheap .22 revolver that Dawn had in her purse. Wershe spent nearly three decades behind bars in Michigan for a non-violent drug offense. They were seen stepping out together but Wershe says that the relationship was tumultuous. However, the reason may be for her safety or privacy purpose. The Curry brothers, Leo 'Big Man' Curry and Johnny 'Lil Man' Curry, were twins. The gun jammed. His sister accompanied him. All the things I guess you expect after 32 years.". Events. In 2016, a notorious former Detroit hitman alleged Hill had once tried to commission the murder of Wershe. He had an affair with Johnnys wife, Cathy Volsan, who was an influential figure in Detroit at the time, being the niece of Mayor Coleman Young. Though he wasnt an angel he already started looting peoples homes for cash Wershe Jr. had never touched cocaine in his life. That's a longer discussion. After spending 32 years incarcerated, Wershe was released from prison in Florida, on July 20, 2020 having completed his sentence with credits for good behavior. After 32 years in detention, he is back with his long-term fiance Michelle MacDonald, whom he has been dating since high school. Richard Wershe Jr. was good at what he did. When federal agents raided Cathy's townhouse on a Friday afternoon in June 1987, they found Wershe there in bed with her. He has stayed quiet for weeks, but that changed when he spoke to the Daily Mail about his past month as a free man. The youngest known informant in the history of the FBI, Wershe became a confidential informant when he was 14 to 16 years old. Despite the Michigan Parole Board voting unanimously to grant Richard Wershe Jr. his freedom in 2017 after spending 29 years in prison, the then 47-year-old still had time to serve in Florida for a separate offense. Richard was sentenced to life in prison in Michigan under the states 650-Lifer Law. "I think everything went really well and he looks forward to everything that he has ahead of him.. Dawn was doing crack cocaine while Wershe Jr., accompanied by Bell, began committing burglaries. Love Island fans' horror as axed Olivia handed power to destroy TWO other stars, Frogmore eviction shows King's drawn a line with Harry, Strictly star bags life-changing EastEnders role as part of new family, Baby's body found after huge search as cops quiz Constance Marten & lover, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Portrayed by Bruce Dern and Piper Laurie in the White Boy Rick movie, Roman and Verna Wershe did live across the street. Wershe continued to help the FBI even after being incarcerated and played an instrumental role in Operation Backbone, which resulted in the arrests of several corrupt Detroit police officers. In 1998, his case was revisited and he was granted the chance of parole. Source: pressinformant.com. But Richard Wershe Jr. is ready to try. And, it was back in the year 1987 when Richard was arrested for possessing cocaine in excess of eight kilograms (18 pounds). (He's) happy, healthy and excited (and) emotional. But the news made him bigger than he was because the police were out for blood. His mom, Darlene, left Detroit's East Side and moved to the suburbs. He's one of the few people I've met in jail that doesn't say, 'I'm innocent.' Dawn goes on to say that her family was never consulted for the film, but McConaughey did visit with Wershe Jr. at Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee in March 2017 for more than 4 hours to prepare for the role. Ive lost 30 years of my life, Wershe said during the parole meeting. Based on the information Wershe Jr. provided, they cracked down on the drug dealers and seized hundreds of weapons, kilos of cocaine, and millions of dollars. If you don't take this plea, we are going to arrest your mom and your sister,'" Wershe said. More. This all happens almost exactly the same in the movie. Even though he was dreading the transport process, Wershe said he wanted to start as soon as possible. Assistant State Attorney General Scott Rothermel asked him why the police report indicates that less than thirty thousand dollars was confiscated. Further investigate the White Boy Rick true story by watching the Richard Wershe Jr. documentary below. Moreover, his father was also an FBI informant and first reported to the police and the federal agency alongside him before going also. However, Leon was not home but the boy and his mom were. The Wershes could barely make the ends meet. White Boy Rick was arrested in 1987 for possessing cocaine in excess of eight kilograms and sentenced to life in prison. Who Is White Boy Rick's Daughter Keisha Wershe? Timeline photos. An ambulance arrived and blocked them from leaving. After the collapse of the Curry brothers criminal empire, the FBI was done with Wershe Jr. as well. In addition to this, he was an amateur inventor. Rick Wershe's Charity Food Drive - Summer 2018. Wershe's life story was turned into a true-crime documentary called "White Boy" that was picked up by Netflix. Richard Wershe Jr. is suing FBI agents, Detroit police and others a year after he was released from . Instead of pulling him out, the FBI used his newfound cred to push him in deeper with the Curry gang. While he was in prison, Wershe introduced his sister, Dawn, to a car salesman. The Estimated Net worth is $80K USD $85k. Her date of birth and other information related to her family and educational background is unknown. The law was overturned but he was rejected as a menace to society by the Michigan Parole Board in 2003, despite (or perhaps because of) having assisted the FBI in the 1990s with a sting unsuccessfully targeting Gil Hill and drawing in the relatives of influential city politicians. Therefore, she has stayed away from the public and has made a low-key lifestyle. He did what the FBI taught him to do. The film has received mixed reviews from critics, but there's nothing mixed about the reaction from Wershe's sister, Dawn Scott, who expressed frustration over her family's portrayal in anexclusive interview with WXYZ in Detroit. Hed roll up in a white jeep he was too young to legally drive, with The Snowman emblazoned on the back. OK? It makes you wonder how many other people might be incarcerated wrongly or unfairly, but because they don't have a light shone on them, they're [not] readdressing their incarceration. I go to pay for a meal, and someone recognizes me as White Boy Rick, and they say, I got this.. He was convicted of possession of cocaine. He might have been a pimple-faced teenager who struggled to pull off a mustache but he came out in style. Caption: Keisha Wershes dad Richard and Michelle. It was a significant amount, but it wasn't the hundreds of kilos that Detroit's drug kingpins were moving at the time. "Were there some exaggerations? Dawn says that when her dad discovered Rick had $50,000 in drug money, he wanted Rick out of the drug business. Keisha Wershe is known as the daughter of the famous drug dealer, Richard Wershe Jr. Voice quavering, Rick Wershe Jr., who as a teen in 1980s Detroit was painted as a murderous drug kingpin, dabbed his eyes recalling one of the last conversations he had with his father, who he'd . In addition to driving a Jeep that blatantly referenced his life as an up-and-coming cocaine dealer, Richard Wershe Jr. wore chains and tracksuits, a belt made of gold, a mink coat (given to him by Johnny Curry), and a Rolex with diamonds encircling it. A close childhood friend of Rick's said that in the case of Rick's father, the almighty buck ranked above morals. Through him, he gained access to the Curry brothers and their lavish lifestyle. White Boy Rick was worse than a mass murderer. White Boy Rick is another name for Richard Wershe. In 2017, justice campaigners publicized Wershe's case and he was subsequently paroled, but directly to a prison in Florida to serve another five years for an auto theft conviction from 2008. Police had found the drugs stashed near Wershe's house after a traffic stop. Johnny was one of the most powerful drug lords in Detroits underworld and Wershe Jr. constantly provided information on him and his criminal empire. If you know some information, please comment below. Eventually, this was mostly information about the Curry Brothers, including their role in the accidental April 1985 death of a 13-year-old boy in a drive-by shooting and intel on their organization's drug houses. Nate Boone Craft, a hitman with thirty confirmed murders under his belt, claims that Inspector Gil Hill offered him a small fortune to kill the teenaged boy who knew too much. They controlled the drug operations in Wershe Jr.s neighbourhood in Detroits East Side. Keisha is out of the social media world. During a screening of White Boy Rick in 2018, he let the power source know that his father was smarter and more aware than he was portrayed in the film. Inspector Hill and Mayor Young, though, would walk away free. Keisha Wershe is known for being the girl of renowned street pharmacist Richard Wershe Jr. Richard Wershe Jr. is an American street pharmacist and a former witness for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. About. Richard was born into a working-class family in a neighborhood on Detroit's east side. As a result of both the impending film and the White Boy documentary that had just been released, interest in Wershe Jr. had been on the rise, so much so that a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Corrections was on hand doing live TV interviews before 7 a.m. on the morning of the 9 a.m. hearing. White Boy Rick was certainly involved in drugs, and he definitely moved cocaine. They wanted information. Rick says they robbed somewhere around 20 homes together (not shown in the movie). They were seen stepping out together but Wershe says that the relationship was tumultuous. -The Atavist Magazine. His dissatisfied daughter, Dawn, leaves their home, leaving Rick alone with his son, Ricky. They are mostly portrayed as aloof and out-of-touch by Bruce Dern and Piper Laurie, despite living across the street from Richard Wershe and his kids. "My fingerprints weren't on the drugs. Contrary to popular belief, Rick was not brought down on a kingpin statute, racketeering, (or) a continuing criminal enterprise statute -- Rick was arrested when he was 17 years old at a routine traffic stop where they found cocaine, Burnstein said. It took 30 years for Richard Wershe Jr. to win his freedom. 9 items. -The Atavist Magazine, This happened when Wershe was 14, well before he could drive legally. This picture of him is a still from his role in the movie Beverly Hills Cop. When he was asked what t will be like when he hangs out with his father after his release he responded: "Honestly, I don't know, we've got some catching up to do.". Pandemonium followed. Wershe Jr. grew up in a lower middle-class household in East Side of Detroit. "My son became sick on power, the excitement, the prestige, the money, and the glamour of selling. They were relics of a time when Detroit was booming. Wershe is a father of two daughters and a son. Kiesha Wershe is the girl of renowned street pharmacist Richard Wershe Jr. Richard Wershe is also called White Boy Rick. "Where did the drugs come from? -The Atavist Magazine, Rick's sister Dawn was dating a small-time criminal named Terrence Bell and she had become involved with crack cocaine. The FBI even gave Rick Jr. a fake ID and paid for an April 1985 trip to Las Vegas so that he could gather more intelligence on Curry. Wershe didn't have a drug gang, he didn't have crack houses, he didn't control any parts of the city, and there's no evidence that he ever killed anyone or ordered anyone to be killed. Before he went, he told both the police and the federal agency about him. Rick befriended Bell, who lured him into the world of petty crime. Wershe Jr.s father saw this as an opportunity to keep food on their table. The siblings were raised by their father with the help of his own parents who lived across the street from them. They are in relation from previous few years of a strong relationship. He was making more money than most adults he knew. However, the allegations did come back to haunt him when he ran for mayor.Gil Hill, who died in 2016 at age 84, had been famous for portraying Eddie Murphy's boss, Inspector Douglas Todd, in three Beverly Hills Cop films. BoogeyMan Ben/YouTubeInspector Gil Hill was a minor celebrity. 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